2016 CHATEAUNEUF FIVE STAR VINTAGE
Offered SEP 18th, 2018
2016 is a benchmark year in Chateauneuf, even better than the excellent 2015s according to universal opinion. Allied to their excellent scores and prices, these wines are ready to drink young and are excellent with food. In short, they are very very useful wines to have in the cellar. We encourage you to drink what you have and re-stock with as many 2016s as you can make room for!Today’s offer revisits Pierre Usseglio with a second offer of the generic Chateauneuf and the top of the range Deux Freres, which is consistently among the wines of the vintage.
We also have an old favorite, Vieux Donjon, remarkable these days in that there is no super-cuvee at this estate to denude the main offering. It is a true ‘Grand Vin.’
Finally, we offer a trio of wines from St. Prefert from their excellent generic Chateauneuf to their prestige cuvees; the reviews say all you need to know.
Offered subject to availability for importation by refrigerated sea-freight in the Fall.
Pierre Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape 2016
$39 per bottle
(92-94) points Jeb Dunnuck: “Moving to the Châteauneufs, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape includes slightly more Mourvèdre than normal and was brought up mostly in tank, with smaller amounts in demi-muids, barrels, and foudre. Blackberries, incense, licorice and beautifully complex spice characteristics flow to a full-bodied, opulent 2016 that ticks all the right boxes. With sweet tannin and beautiful purity, drink it over the coming 10-15 years.”
Pierre Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres 2016
$130 per bottle
(97-100) points Jeb Dunnuck: “Lastly, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve des Deux Freres is a barrel selection of 100% Grenache that was fermented with plenty of stems and aged in barrel. It’s a huge, full-bodied beauty offering layers of dark fruits, red wine marinade, toasted spice, hints of toasty oak and graphite. With terrific sweetness, ripe, polished tannin and a monster finish, it’s going to need 2-3 years of bottle age but will have two decades of longevity.”
Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape 2016
$49 per bottle
(95-97) points Jeb Dunnuck: “A wine that’s going to be up with the finest vintage ever from this estate, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (75% Grenache, 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, and the balance Cinsault) offers a southern Rhône smorgasbord of aromas and flavors including huge pepper, black raspberries, blackberries, new saddle leather and garrigue. Reminding me of the 1998 with its huge, full-bodied, unctuous texture and present tannin, it’s going to need 2-4 years of cellaring and keep for 15+.”
St. Prefert Chateauneuf du Pape 2016
$49 per bottle
(93-95) points Wine Advocate: “Tasted from foudre, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape looks to be another stellar bottling. It combines all of the raspberry and spice notes of the 2015 with more intensity and richer, creamier tannins.”
St. Prefert Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve Auguste Favier 2016
$75 per bottle
(94-96) points Jeb Dunnuck: “The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve Auguste Favier offers more refinement and elegance as well as notes of black raspberries, crème de cassis, violets and licorice. It’s full-bodied, impeccably balanced, seamless and silky on the palate, with terrific tannin quality and integrated acidity. The Reserve Auguste Favier is always a rough blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Cinsault and it was partially destemmed in 2016 and aged in mostly in concrete tanks.”
St. Prefert Chateauneuf du Pape Collection Charles Giraud 2016
$115 per bottle
(95-97) points Wine Advocate: “I tasted several demi-muids potentially earmarked for the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Collection Charles Giraud, although some may slip down into the Reserve August Favier. The final decisions had yet to be made, so I haven’t offered a formal review of that cuvée. Despite being hugely ripe, sometimes even chocolaty, the concentration and density meant that none tasted overly alcoholic or warm, and even the super ripe Grenache retained excellent freshness, spice and complexity.”
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